After a huge turnaround season from last year, the Maryland football team has been rewarded by accepting an invitation to the Military Bowl. However, they will only have to travel 5 miles to Washington D.C. to take on East Carolina out of Conference USA. This will be Maryland’s seventh bowl appearance in 10 years under Ralph Friedgen, and will look to improve their bowl record to 5-2 as well as increasing their win total on the season to nine.

The Pirates are currently 6-6 with a 5-3 record in the C-USA. They are led by a familiar face to Terps fans, Dominique Davis, the ex-Boston College Quarterback. Davis leads the nation’s 7th ranked pass offense with 3,699 yards and 36 touchdowns on the season. Maryland’s 42nd ranked scoring offense should have their way with the ECU defense, which averages giving up 43 points per game.

In my opinion, the Terps got shafted by the bowl selection committee. Even though the Maryland finished third in the ACC, they received the 8th bowl slot. The NC State Wolfpack, who Maryland beat 38-31, will be headed the the Champs Sports Bowl to play against West Virginia in Orlando, Florida. Even the Clemson Tigers, who finished 6-6 on the year, will be headed to the Meineke Car Care Bowl to take on South Florida. Maryland proved throughout the course of the year that they were better than both these teams, and its a shame that they were not rewarded. I feel like the Military Bowl does not award the Terps for how great of a season and turnaround this was. But I’ll still take a blowout win in the bowl game and a 9-win season any day.

The Terps and Pirates will play on Decemeber 29th at 2:30. The game will be televised on ESPN.